Since Bob Rennie acquired Doris Salcedo’s Tenebrae 15 years ago, it has been in storage. A big work weighing several tonnes, it is comprised of 13 chairs with long, horizontal legs meant to block an exhibition space entrance.

One reading of the work is how wealthy countries of the world erect barriers to exclude entry of immigrants and refugees.

Rennie thought it would be a timely work to donate to the National Gallery of Canada given our history of accepting people from around the world. He also wanted to honour that history as the country celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.

“With the barriers of entry that seem to be rising in the world, especially with our neighbour to the south, we thought it was important to do something to recognize our history of inclusion and diversity,” he said by phone.

“It really is a gift to the nation. There is nothing else behind it.”

Salcedo was born in Bogotá, Colombia. The full name of the work is Tenebrae, Noviembre 7, 1985. On that date, 25 members of the M-19 Marxist guerrilla group seized the Palace of Justice in Bogotá and held the Supreme Court hostage. As a result of an assault by government troops, more than 100 were killed, including 12 of 25 judges.

Pale Fire Freedom Machine by Geoffrey Farmer is one of the works donated by Bob Rennie to the National Gallery of Canada. Photo: Courtesy Rennie Collection

The National Gallery announced in a release Tuesday that Rennie, one of the country’s biggest collectors of contemporary art, has donated 197 paintings, sculptures and mixed-media works to the country’s biggest art institution.

The donation, valued at more than $12 million, includes works by Vancouver-based artists Brian Jungen, Damian Moppett, Rodney Graham, Ian Wallace and Geoffrey Farmer.

Rennie said by donating it to the National Gallery, it has a much better chance of being seen by Canadians.

Rennie spoke from Venice where he has already seen Farmer’s installation.

“For those of us who have been to Venice before and been embarrassed by the pavilion — not the contents but the pavilion — Geoffrey has completely deconstructed it, opened it up,” Rennie said.

Void by Brian Jungen is one of the works donated by Bob Rennie to the National Gallery of Canada. Courtesy Rennie Collection

“It is really, really a standout installation by Geoffrey. That’s not just me being a friend and a Canadian. It is a standout.”

Rennie said the donation to the National Gallery represents a small portion of his overall collection.

He said the collection’s philosophy is to collect artists in depth over their entire career.

“It is really important as custodians of this art to make sure that trajectory stays together,” he said.

“These works are built on relationships with Ian, Geoffrey, Rodney, and Brian that go back 10, 20 and 30 years. This is the collection has been put together over a long period of time.”

By donating the works to the National Gallery, he compared himself to a parent watching their children grow older and leave home.

“If you look at like the kids are going to university, it’s time. It’s that sort of rationale.”

Rennie said the gift to the National Gallery was by far his biggest donation of art to an institution.

“This really started in October, 2015,” he said.

“Once it was announced that Geoffrey would be representing Canada this year in Venice, I thought: ‘Let’s do something for Canada and honour Geoffrey.’”

In appreciation of Rennie’s gift, the National Gallery will be naming a gallery after him. It will call the Upper Contemporary exhibition gallery (B204) Galerie RENNIE Gallery.

Marc Mayer, director and CEO of the National Gallery, said in a news release that Rennie’s donation turns the National Gallery into “the collection of record for some of our country’s most outstanding artists.

“It deepens the exhibition and the lending possibilities for a museum whose mission is to preserve and disseminate our country’s most exceptional artistic achievements.”

Rennie is a real estate marketer and principal of the Rennie Foundation.

Rennie shows his art collection at Rennie Collection at Wing Sang in the oldest building in Chinatown. An estimated $10 million was spent on renovations to the historic building at 51 East Pender to turn it into an office for Rennie’s real estate marketing firm and a showcase for his art collection.

The Wing Sang was built in 1889 by Yip Sang, who brought Chinese labourers into the country to help build the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Bob Rennie, Vancouver realtor and art collector, has donated 197 works of art to the National Gallery valued at more than $12 million.

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